Get your Goat - Zootopia ficlet's
by itchyteeth
Summary: With a copycat case on the rise, our two pint-sized heroes find themselves tangled in a web spun by a whole new species- surpremacist
1. Get Your Goat

**Hi! I should probably start by saying that I do not own Zootopia, or any of the characters. Even if that would be absolutely awesome!**

 **I haven't actually uploaded anything to for a couple of years so if you get as far as reading the first couple of paragraphs then I'd really like to hear some _kind_ criticism. I'd love any advice and tips in making my future fictions more enjoyable to read.**

 **Without any further ado...**

Allow me to set the scene... thunder rattled the windows in their panes and shook the floor. Lightning split the sky with a monstrous cracking sound; a torrential downpour falling upon...

Nick. It wasn't that bad.

Um, yes actually, it was! Thank-you, Carrots... Rain continued to pour, and a faint growl of thunder rolled across the sky...

Nick!

Fine! You tell the story then. But we all know I was going to tell it way better.

A familiar red fox stared out the passenger side window of one of the ZPD's police cars, his eyes half-lidded in their trademark droop. It had been dark for about two hour's now, but in thanks to his enhanced vision, he could see just the lightest dusting of precipitation spitting against the passenger window as the unmarked police car winded through the streets of Wild Times, towards the Zootopia marina.

"And we're sure we have the right lead, because...?" He drawled, his head lolling to the right so that he could look sidelong at his pint-sized partner, a grey rabbit with black-tipped ears and violet eyes. Eyes in which were darting about underneath a furrowed brow, her small paws squeezing the steering wheel tight as she leaned forwards in her seat.

"I'm telling you, the docks are where we're supposed to be." Judy answered, without casting so much as a sideways glance in Nick's direction. "This is where the lead is."

"Carrots, we received a hazy phone call from some guy saying he's got a friend who has just started dating a woman who's been disappearing about three nights a week and stealing money from his bank account. Now, before you say it, yes I know that it's suspicious activity and there is every chance there could be some shady operation goings on, but _why_ does it have to be at the docks?" Nick groaned, sagging back into his seat. "It smells like dead fish and seaweed. Why would anyone want to build some shady operation there?"

"Because this is where that _some guy_ said he was sure she was disappearing off to," Judy sighed, her ears twitching in frustration. "Look, I don't like the fact that we're a little left in the dark, either. But we only have one lead, and we're going to have to follow it. So suck it up."

It had been surprisingly easy to track the woman down. With Nick's assistance, it shouldn't have come as any surprise. After all, subterfuge was his area of expertise. _When_ he was focused.

He and Judy had followed a tip that the woman - a goat as it turns out - was going to meet with her date at a local restaurant in Sahara Square called Bone Appetite. They also learned that she always left in a taxi.

Both Nick and Judy waited in their unmarked vehicle, circling the block a couple of times before coming to a stop just a couple of stores down from their restaurant in question. Her little heart racing with a mixture of both agitation and excitement, even Nick's muttered complaint that he should have eaten before they left hadn't phased her.

"Isn't this exciting?" She whispered, bouncing in her seat as she turned to grin at Nick, who was lazily picking at the corner of one of his eyes with the pad of one finger.

"Why are we whispering?" He whispered back, flashing her a smile when Judy spared him a raised brow and poorly hidden smirk.

"Because it's exciting!" She resumed her bouncing, eyes trained on the restaurant. "Our second big case, together!"

"Much better than parking duty, and skunk pride, or shrew pride... though I'll admit it was nice seeing Fru Fru again." Nick used each of his fingers to list off a few of their less appreciated assignments. "Then there's Chief Bogo's double standards for him and his pals, and then the rest of us."

"Well," Judy shrugged, though Nick knew that it was something that had been bothering her as well, however she was a stickler for trying to find a silver lining. "We've got this case! So, c'mon. Let's just focus on what's ahead."

"Speaking of what's ahead - look! Our goat is on the loose."

Sure enough, a young goat couple had just exited the restaurant. The male had grey fur with dark brown ears and was wearing black tux. Their suspect, a petite white goat with loosely curled brown hair, was wearing a lacy red dress stood on the footpath as a taxi stopped beside them. A light drizzle had begun to dust the Square and promptly, the male goat whipped out an umbrella and held it above the female.

"Awww." Nick gushed in a mocking tone as the two goats appeared to speak a few words, and parted with a kiss. Just as the taxi pulled away from the sidewalk, Judy was already back on the road and ready to pursue.

"Hey, how about after this is out of the way, we go back to that restaurant? Did you actually smell it? Mmm!" Nick was turning in his seat, nose in the air as they drove by.

"Some other time, Nick. Please stop goofing off and give me a hand? We're going to lose them." Judy's voice was filled with nervous tension as another car pulled out in front of them, blocking their view of the taxi.

"Nah," Nick reached into one of his pockets and pulled out his smartphone.

"Nick - " Judy groaned, her hands gripping the steering wheel a fraction tighter.

"No, wait! Seriously, I've got this." Judy eyed him with skepticism as Nick dialed a number on the screen and put the phone to his ear. There was a pause before he began to speak into the receiver. "Yes, good evening, Sir. I'm sorry to trouble you, but I seem to have left my wallet in one of your taxis."

Judy gaped at him dumbly as Nick pulled her a thumbs up. "The plate number? Certainly, it's 25MHC15. That's right. C-1-5." Nick reached into the glove department and quickly began to scribble down an address on a spare notepad. "Thank-you very much, Sir. Yes, and to you too."

"How... what -"

"It's pretty easy to track someone, Carrots. For example, let's say you're following someone who got into a taxi. Get the taxi number plate, and the service number. Tell the operator you left your wallet on the seat of the taxi. They'll ask for the taxis number plate and let you know where it will stop next. Very simple." Nick grinned at her, his eyes shining just as smug as they were mischievous.

"Nice work, Slick!" Judy's bucked teeth stuck out slightly as she beamed up at her partner. "What's the address?"

So that was how they wound up driving up the curving roads in the towards the marina docks with no headlights on, creeping a safe distance behind the taxi. "I think that's where we're going to be stopping." Judy spoke up after a few minutes silence. Nick followed the direction of her hand as she pointed a little ways ahead. The rear lights of the taxi had flashed a bright red as it pulled to a stop outside of a three story ramshackle warehouse.

"What are you doing?" There was a touch of alarm in the tone of Nick's voice as Judy slowed their own car, creeping at a measured pace and coming to a stop alongside a large houseboat. The wood underneath creaked as Nick stepped out of the small car, crinkling his nose at the immediate odor of seaweed that assailed his nostrils. The drizzling rain left rivulets of water running through his fur as he stumbled after Judy.

The bunny already had a head start peering from the side of the houseboat before she began making her way towards the fenced warehouse as Nick hurried to catch up to her pace. "The taxi guy is going to see our car!"

"No he won't. It's dark, and it's raining. Besides the car is hidden well enough next to the boat. The driver isn't going to see it."

"Okay, fine. But he's going to see _us_!" Nick pointed ahead, where sure enough the taxi had made a U-turn and was now driving very slowly back down towards the fence.

"Crackers!" Judy hoped nervously to a stop and bit her lip as the headlights stretched closer and closer. With her heart racing between her ribs, the rabbit twist around trying to find a place they could quickly dart off to.

"Carrots, come on!" Nick's hand wrapped around Judy's wrist, and she promptly lost her footing as he tugged her off the path and behind a scrub. Bracing herself for impact with her free arm, Judy was surprised when she landed on something soft. However the soft thing underneath her let out a pained 'oof!', and a few agonizingly long seconds later, the taxi rolled past them.

"Nick?" She felt him shift underneath her while she took a moment for her heart to slow it's pace. "Oh, thank goodness for your sight," she chuckled, sucking in a quick gasp as she realized she was barely nose-to-nose with Nick. She could feel his warm breath against her face, and crinkled her nose as he chuckled.

"You've got a sharp elbow there, Carrot's," Nick chuckled, muffling a soft groan as she slid off of what felt like his chest. Judy reached out blindly for his arm, and gave a firm tug as she felt the pads of one of his hands wrap around her hand.

"Are you okay?" She chuckled as they emerged from behind the shrub and walked back into the moonlit marina. Looking him over, he appeared fine apart from damp fur, except the right side of his barely worn-in police uniform was now muddied. His muzzle crinkled unhappily as Judy began to chuckle at the state of him, and the both of them promptly began to try to wipe the mess from his clothing.

"There now. Good as new!" Judy took a step back to admire their handiwork, hands on her hips. "Do a little spin, let's see." With a huff, Nick stretched his arms away from his sides and spun in a circle. Once done, he dropped his arms and Judy applauded happily. "Okay, we've wasted time. Let's go!"

As Judy walked off with a little spring to her step, Nick hung back, slightly miffed about the discomfort of wearing damp clothing. However, the annoyance melted away as Judy began to hum to herself, and with a soft chuckle Nick followed after her.

"You want to know what's funny about Wild Times?" he asked once he'd caught up, matching her pace.

"What?" Judy asked, immediately regretting that she had when he chuckled.

"Because there's a brothel in Sahara Square named the exact same thing." He answered.

"Nick!" Judy punched him on the arm and ignored his dry laugh. "That's disgusting! You don't talk like that to a lady!"

"Okay, you know the drill. We look for any incriminating evidence. _Anything._ Even if you think it might be nothing - it's probably _something. If we find anything we can use as a case against this woman, we call for back-up._ Okay? Nick? Nick!"

"Hm?" Nick hummed at her from the other side of a small room that had seemed to have been renovated into what appeared to be an office. After casing the chain-link fence, the two had managed to crawl underneath a small gap near the side entrance of the warehouse. That had been the easy part. The more difficult part had been getting inside.

The windows were glazed, making it virtually impossible for either Nick or Judy to see into th warehouse. But that also meant that whoever was on the inside wouldn't be able to see them as they sleuthed around.

In the end, Judy had managed to find a broken window and shatter the rest of it with a mag light attached to her belt. It had led them into a small water closet, and then into a kitchenette just down a small passageway.

To their surprise, it was fairly well done up. As they began to explore, Judy made a point in pausing from time to time whenever a different sound caught her attention. Nick whistled through his teeth, clearly impressed, and to be honest, Judy couldn't help but admire all of the modern gadgets. The counters were all made from jeweled coral laminate, a titanium refrigerator, a juicer, touch-screen activated stovetop. There was absolutely nothing out of place, not even a single plate or bowl in the sink.

"Not a bad interior considering the outside looks like complete cra -" Judy shushed Nick, holding up a paw as she listened with one ear perked high in the air. There was a heavy pause until she shook her head and smiled sheepishly.

While Judy began to look through various drawers, on the other side of that office, Nick was in charge of cupboards. However rather than doing that, he was admiring a small photograph of a room filled with a flock of both goats and sheep posing for the camera, all crammed together inside of a polished wooden frame. Judy crossed her arms and tapped one foot in irritation. "Get over here!" She hissed through her teeth.

"Why? I'm just looking." Nick asked, not budging an inch and hardly bothering to look her way.

"Just come here." Judy began tapping her foot faster as her impatience grew. "Please?"

"No, because you're gonna hit me." Nick stuck out his bottom lip comically, so Judy stomped her foot, her hands balling into fists at her sides. Nick exhaled an overdramatic sigh.

"Fine! Yeah, I got it. But..." Nick reluctantly began walking towards her, craning his neck back to keep looking at the photograph. "There's something weird about that photo."

"There's nothing weird about the photo, Nick." Judy sighed impatiently.

"But you said, 'even if you think it might be nothing - it's probably _something'_ ". Nick's voice rose a higher octave as he quoted - or rather mimicked - what she had just told him. "See? I do listen to you."

" _Please_ ," Judy begged, her ears back as she whined pleadingly. "Stay focused."

"Incriminating evidence. Got it, Carrot's." Nick gave her a pat on the shoulder, and then with his hands behind his back, he strolled off. Judy watched as he made a show of leaning over and looking under everything, giving a quiet 'hm' or 'ah' every so often.

...Until Judy heard a district sound of a seal unsticking and of items rattling and clinking. She spun around to see Nick bent over, digging through the refrigerator. "What...are...you...doing?!" She hissed in a loud whisper.

"Checking for evidence," he replied as though it was obvious. With a smirk he added, "'even if you think it might be nothing - it's probably _something'. Oooh, crickets!_ "

Judy gaped at him. "Well, you can't _eat_ anything at a potential crime scene either! Are you crazy? Put those back." However, the only response she got was the sound of a jar being opened followed by a nauseating 'crunch' as her idiotic partner did precisely what he wasn't supposed to do.

Which really, her little voice of reason piped up. What do you expect? Nick was great on a case; he was wily and smart, if not a little frustrating and not to mention an absolute tease. He had many strong points and he had his weak points. As did she, and it was with that thought in mind she would never lose her mind completely whenever Nick tried to goof off. It was just what he did, it was how he lightened situations.

Judy could recall that in the beginning of their friendship, the idea that someone could just acknowledge those parts of Nick and move right past them was unexpectedly hard for him to become comfortable with. He was the slick, sly fox who carried almost everything out in a perfunctory manner, who never let anyone see that they got to him.

Judy was one of the only few mammals who were favored highly enough to see those parts of Nick that nobody else saw; his vulnerable side, his soft side. Those sides of him she adored him all the more for. So who was she to say he couldn't eat a couple of crickets.

"I have no time to deal with your cheek, or your hunger." Despite the brusque tone of her words, Judy's eyes were warm. Not kind or inviting, but... accepting. She understood that this was Nick. All of his quirks, it was all Nick Wilde. She knew it, accepted it, and wasn't about to change him. She just let it all go, and still expected the best of him.

"Quick question," Judy rolled her eyes as she turned to face Nick, who was now leaning against the refrigerator with his hands in his pockets. "What are we supposed to find in a kitchen, apart from snacks?"

"Just covering our bases," Judy frowned. Really, Nick did have a point. Where were they going to get by rooting around cabinets and cutlery drawers anyway. "Okay, fine. Let's keep going. But keep in mind we have to be quiet."

"Come on, Carrot's, you could give me a little credit." Nick frowned, and Judy looked down at her feet, feeling guilty when she realized that she'd actually hurt his feelings.

"Nick - I'm sorry. Really. I do give you credit. It's just... I guess I'm just nervous." She looked up at him sheepishly, and was grateful when Nick's frown relaxed into one of his smirks.

"Apology accepted," he nodded with satisfaction, his eye catching the photograph once more. "Come look at this."

Having resigned herself to the fact she was just going to have to live with the fact Nick was as Nick is, she decided to just pander to him with her nose twitching with impatience.

"What did you find?" She asked, her impassive expression flipping to intrigue when she looked a closer look at the photo. "Doug?" She looked up at Nick for confirmation, who nodded, looking very pleased with himself.

The photograph showed clearly a flock of both goats of sheep, all standing squished tight together to fit in the frame. In the middle of the third row was a large ram with one chipped horn, and standing beside him with light brown hair on top of her head curled in loose ringlets over one side of her face, was the white sheep in the red dress, only this time dressed in a more casual blue shoe-string strap tank top.

"Do you think he might be a suspect?" Nick asked, finally looking a little more business and less play.

"Could just be coincidence, but I wouldn't rule it out." Judy said, taking a moment to pull out her phone and take a photo of the photograph.

Doug had been one of the mammals of interest in their very first case together. But it was still fair to say that the chances that Doug may somehow be related to this case was a little unexpected. Judy was a little perplexed at the coincidence, but as she said, she wasn't going to rule it out.

"Well, it may be a grain of information, but we'll get the whole can eventually. After all," Nick shrugged. "We did crack the biggest mystery in Zootopia together. What's a little suspicious activity, ey?"

"Look at you!" Judy grinned, socking Nick in the arm. "All optimistic. I'm liking that."

"Well," Nick shrugged with fake modesty. "I thought I'd try it on. Do I look good?" He gave a little twirl, much like he'd done in the driveway, and Judy snorted, beginning to laugh. A second later, covering her mouth with both paws, she realized her error. They were both quiet for a moment as Judy listened out with her large ears, before she socked him on the arm. "Don't make me laugh!" She chastised, though there was no weight in her tone.

"But you're so easy to tease," Nick ruffled the fur upon her head affectionately until Judy batted his hands away.

"You're a caution, you know." She told him, to which he responded with a shrug, offering her his arm. "Shall we sleuth around a little more, Officer Hopps?"

"Yes, we shall, Officer Wilde." Judy grinned, skipping towards him and linking her own arm with his as they walked back out the kitchen and through the passageway, pausing for a moment as Judy listened for any sign they'd run into anybody, before entering a larger area.

The second they walked into a larger room on the other side, Judy's breath caught in her throat. Nothing. The room was completely bare. "Well, this is weird." Nick whispered as he flicked on the light switch, blinking rapidly for a moment as their eyes adjusted to the sudden brightness.

"What..." Judy untangled her arm from Nick's and stepped forwards, walking in a circle as she reached the middle of the room. It was small, about 10m2, the second story above it visible and lined with a railing that ran all the way around. "There's nothing in here." Judy whispered, her violet eyes wide as she stared up and around the dimly lit room.

"Judy!" Nick was staring beyond her, his eyes wide and peaked ears pinned back. Judy's stomach sunk at the same time her ears fell and she turned very slowly to stare up at the corner of the room Nick was so focused upon.

Perched on an angle in one corner of the ceiling, pointed directly towards them as it swiveled left to right was a camera. "Don't move," Judy whispered slowly, taking a few agonizingly slow steps backwards.

"Don't move? Are you kidding me? It's a camera, Carrots! It can see everything!" Nick hissed, placing a hand on one of her shoulders before she had a chance to trip into him.

"I think that now is a pretty good time to start thinking about calling back-up." Nick muttered. The radio! Hastily, Judy tore the police radio from her belt. "Officer Hopps to dispatch," She jittered restlessly on the spot. "Clawhouser?"

She could have laughed in relief when she heard him answer on the first try. "Hopps! What's the situation?"

"I need back-up. We're at the docks past Wild Times, outside an old warehouse addressed 133 Maritime. We believe that this may be related to the savage case. The warehouse is under surveillance. Clawhauser?"

"On it! ETA on back-up is ten minutes. Can you hold on for that long?" Judy whined, looking up at the camera anxiously.

"That may not be good enough - hurry!" BANG! Both Nick and Judy unholstered the elephant tranquilizers from their belts and whirled around to see a mammal dressed entirely in black standing in the doorway they'd just walked through. Over the mammals snout was a rubber mask with a chemical filter component attached, and in either hand was a silver canister.

"Are you gonna take this one?" Nick muttered towards Judy, his eyes and tranquilizer both aimed on the canister wielding stranger in front of them.

"Sir, I'm going to ask that you to put the canisters down." Judy spoke in what she could only hope was her most convincingly authorities voice. "If you do not comply then I am authorized to use force as necessary."

There was a heavy pause as the disguised mammal tilted their head to the side in consideration, and then slowly began to lower both canisters. "That's right," Nick eyed the mammal warily as they complied to the instruction. "Do as the lady says and we might put in a good word with the bull; get you a cell with a view. How's that so - "

The rest of Nick's sentence came to a halt as the canisters were both tossed in their direction, scraping across the floor as they rolled forwards. There was a heavy pause as both rabbit and fox stared dumbly as the canisters stopped at their feet before Judy cried out "SHOOT AND RUN!" at the same time there was a sharp hiss and a foggy substance began to cloud all around them.

Her tranquilizer still held aloft, Judy shot blindly in front of her while Nick's barely visible frame moved about in quick motions beside her. Judy gasped as something was thrown towards her, and the foggy cloud thickened.

Judy shoved one of her paws over her mouth and reached out blindly for Nick. "Nick!" She cried, hearing a series of harsh coughs off to the side of her. "Don't breathe it in!"

She stumbled forwards, holstering her tranquilizer as she held her spare hand in front of her while she hurried blindly. One of her feet stubbed against something large and she breathed in an involuntary breath as she tripped forwards, landing across the dark shape of the mammal that had thrown the canisters. It seemed that either she or Nick had hit their mark.

Nick! Another harsh set of coughs were heard to her right, and Judy stumbled to her feet, one hand covering her mouth again as she ran towards a crumpled red form. "Nick? Nick!?" Judy fell to her knees beside the fox, barely able to make out his trembling form crumpled on the floor through the gas cloud surrounding them. "Nick! Get up!" Judy's throat and eyes stung, her voice strained as she shook him hard and blinked back stinging tears.

"Ju -" Nick's voice was cut off by another set of harsh coughs.

"Get up and hold your breath, Nick!" Judy yelled into one of his ears. "Listen to me, and get up!" She was ready to shake him again before she felt him shift underneath her, and after staggering a couple of steps forwards, Nick was back on his feet. Judy slung one of his arms over her shoulders, and with everything she had, she raced forwards.

Judy could feel her mind begin to muddle, her vision blurring in and out as whatever incapacitating agent had been sprayed into the air began to take effect. "Left... left!" Nick croaked and Judy ran in the direction without question. With no choice but to trust his eyesight, Judy urged Nick to try and hold some of his own weight as they continued to stagger forwards. But they barely managed a few more meters before Judy cried out in alarm, Nick's dead weight pulling her to the floor.

Effectively winded, and pinned underneath one of Nick's arms, Judy struggled underneath the appendage. Inhaling an involuntary gasp, Judy's sight blurred to the point where darkness began to creep from the corners of her vision and fill her mind completely.

Sense was slow to come back to Judy as she lay where she was. Her eyelids fluttered, and promptly squeezed shut as a ceiling light blinded her vision. She inhaled sharply, and steeled herself for the harsh coughing fit that would follow. However, apart from an uncomfortable dry sensation, all seemed fine.

Hesitantly, she cracked open her violet eyes and blinked back a couple of stinging tears while she allowed her sight to return to focus. Wriggling her fingers and toes, she was relieved to find that there was no numbness, and then pleased enough with her physical assessment, decided to take a look around.

The light above her was attached to a ceiling fan, which rotated slowly as it circulated clean air around the room. It was a small empty room, no much bigger than the small water closet. She lay on the floor with her limbs splayed as though she'd been dumped there with very little care; just a little bunny mannequin with her strings cut.

Further analysis guided her attention further to her right and towards a hand; the pads of each finger and palm faced upwards, the rest of it covered in russet fur which disappeared past the wrist underneath a dark blue sleeve. Judy's mind was still only very slowly piecing itself together as she dragged her eyes upwards, and fixed themselves on Nick's expressionless face.

"Nick." Her voice croaked, springing from the floor and sliding to her knees beside her unconscious partner. "Nick?" With her heart racing, Judy placed a hand against Nick's brow and ran her fingers down his face to rest against one cheek. Biting her bottom lip, she stared towards his chest and felt a wave of relief roll through her while she took a moment to watch him breathe.

Giving him a quick look over, Judy couldn't see any obvious signs of injury, and gave a little sigh of relief taking some small comfort in the fact he wasn't physically hurt. However his lack of consciousness was giving her cause for concern.

Sitting herself down and stretching out her legs so that she could position Nick's head comfortably in her lap, Judy tried to hold herself, stop her hands from shaking and force out a steady breath, but it kept getting caught in her throat whenever she attempted to say a single word in attempt to rouse him. So she settled for simply stroking Nick's brow, listening to his short wheezing breaths.

After a few minutes of Judy sniffling, her breath caught in her throat when there was a close by raspy voice, the drawl very much familiar to her ears by now. "Judy...?" Nick's voice sounded like his throat had been cut to shreds.

"Shush, Nick. Don't talk. Just rest a while." Judy pulled her hand back from Nick's brow when his back arched and he coughed, his body becoming rigid as he blindly reached out to grasp at something - anything.

Judy caught his hand with one of her own, shushing him softly. Nick's green eyes were unfocused, blinking rapidly every so often as she continued to croon words of encouragement.

It took another minute for Nick to come to his senses, his green eyes dragging themselves open and slowly searching for her own.

"Am I on your lap?" He rasped, only then making his own visual assessment of what was around them.

Judy exhaled, and nodded as she chuckled. "Yeah, you kind of are."

Nick hummed in his throat and offered a little smirk, a trace of his usual brazen personality surfacing through the disorientation. "Your comfy," he stated, and made a little noise of protest when Judy shifted his head so that she could pull her legs from underneath him. "Why?" he whined, shifting so that he could roll onto his side and attempt to lift himself up into a sitting position and rise to his feet.

"Because you're a shameless flirt," Judy stated, grabbing hold of one of his wrists to keep him steady as he got used to being back on his feet.

"And you're an emotional little bunny," Nick smirked. It hadn't been his best retort but considering what they'd just woken up after it was probably the best he was going to come up with at that moment.

"Well, whoever did this is going to have a whole lot of emotional little bunny on their plates when we get out of here." Judy's nose twitched in agitation.

"About that... how are we going to get out of here?"

Both bunny and fox stared up at a large wooden door, the handle glinting at them. "Worth a try isn't it?" Nick shrugged, stepping forward and wrapping both hands around the handle. He turned it and pulled, grunting as the door itself strained against the frame. With a growl of frustration, he shook the handle and then kicked the door for good measure.

"Wait - the radio's!" Nick and Judy both reached for their belts, with ears drooping upon realizing that both their belts had been robbed of radio and weapons. Nick growled, spinning back to the door and thumping it with one fist.

"Hey, is anyone there?!" Nick shouted, rattling the door handle again. "Hooves for brains! I want a word."

"Nick -"

"Give me a second."

"How about muttonheads? Does that sound better!?" Nick stood at the door, yelling into the frame.

Judy's ears pricked forwards, Nick holding one of his own to the door frame as the distinct sound of hooves clicking became clearer and clearer. Nick took a couple of steps backwards. Looking down at Judy with his trademark slanted eyes and smug grin. "You're welcome," he whispered, inclining his head towards the door.

Judy gaped as the hoof steps became clearer and clearer until a loud bang sounded on the other side of the door. "Shut up!" a males voice growled from the other side.

"How about no." Nick taunted. "So, which do you prefer, anyway? Muttonhead or hooves for brains?" While Nick was grinning to himself, Judy only gaped.

"If you don't shut that vermin mouth of yours, fox, I swear I'll do it myself!"

"I'd like to see you try." Nick challenged, grinning broadly when there was the sound of keys being shook and inserted into the doors locking mechanism.

"Rams," Nick smirked. "Such tempers."

Socking Nick in the arm, Judy was grinning as she stepped forwards so that she stood beside him. "Good work, partner," she said sincerely, and as the door sprung open she used the strength in her legs to kick it closed, knocking the ram backwards. Hastily, Nick grabbed the door handle and swung it back open before the ram had an opportunity to collect himself.

Using his shoulder, Nick ran towards the ram and elbowed him right in the chest. Once again the ram was sent staggering backwards, reaching for his belt only to realize the tranquilizer he'd been carrying had been looted. Nick held it up, aiming it at the ram as Judy took a fighting stance.

"You are under arrest for the assaulting and unlawful imprisonment of two police officers, numerous thefts and - " Judy didn't have a chance to finish her sentence when there was a loud bang and she fell into a crouch. The ram went down with two darts sticking out from his uniform.

Judy gaped as enormous mammals rushed in, all yelling and feet stomping. Some of them wore blue uniforms, and many more wearing black. Even at her size it was not a good idea to be standing with dart and animals running everywhere screaming at one another.

"Nick! Where are you?" Judy cried out, looking left and right for her partner. Near one corner behind her a couple of porcine guards had been cornered by both Nick and one if their own officers, a timber wolf who went by the name Lupus. Nick seemed unsteady on his feet, and one of his eyes was already swelling shut but it struck Judy that she hadn't known a fox could look so heroic. But there he was, and Judy could feel the adrenaline coming off Nick in waves, his teeth bared as he and Lupus cornered the two thugs and gave them two taps each with their tranquilizer guns.

Then something flew over Judy's head and Nick was down. There was no stagger, no pause, no movement of reaction, he was just down. Sprawling like a limp ragdoll, head connecting with the concrete flooring with an awful clonk. The tranquilizer flew out of his nerveless hand and skittered across the floor, kicked away and trampled by paws and hooves running every which way.

"NO!" Judy screamed, and made a strange half-formed lunging movement when a hoof almost trampled her. She had to move somewhere but was torn as to where as her two choices were entirely different directions and both pulled her out of instinct.

Indecision while on duty was something she could not afford and a single wrong decision could cost deadly. "Hopps!" Bogo's voice cut through her spinning thoughts. The decision was being made for her. "Get Wilde!"

Diving forwards, Judy crashed next to the wreckage that was her partner. Nick hadn't moved. His limbs were splayed out and his neck lolled near his shoulder. While Nick's head was oozing blood, Lupus had his hands over the wound behind the fox's ear in an attempt to staunch the flow.

"Nick!" Judy's voice was shrill as she stooped down, her hands hovering above him with apprehension - then she saw it. Judy immediately felt a wave of dread sweep over her as she managed to get a glimpse at the gash through Lupus' paws.

"Judy. Judy. Judy!" Judy mentally shook her clear and stared into Lupus' golden brown eyes. "Get Clawhauser on dispatch, right now. Have him send an ambulance." Judy nodded, automatically reaching for the radio by her belt before remembering that it was gone. Her heart jumped before she grabbed the one at Lupus' belt, and while barely attempting to take control of her distress, she managed to get Clawhauser on the first attempt.

"Lupus!" Bogo barked. "We need help getting this trash into the back of the van's."

"Right!" Lupis called over his shouder, and then turned back to Judy. "Hold this," he took his hands off of Nick's head wound and replaced them with Judy's. Her shoulders tensed as she pressed down. "Judy," she looked up at Lupus, expecting another instruction and was surprised to see his blue eyes were conveying a softness not expected from him.

Lupus was fairly new to the force. He'd been with them for about a month and he had already made an impression amongst their coworkers with his self-restraint while resisting a howl, especially being a timber wolf. He was fast, and while he was a bit of a jokester at times when it came to push and shove he was one of the most reliable whilst under pressure. "Judy, it's gonna be fine. I'm going to help get these crooks into the vans. An ambulance is on its way. Alright?" With her mouth gaping, she gave a single nod and watched as Lupus hurried off to where Bogo was currently side-glancing her way, throwing a few limp pigs over each shoulder.

On her own, Judy pressed down a little harder on the head wound and stared at her friend. He hadn't moved, though Judy hadn't expected any different. "Come on, Nick. You know how whenever I'm stressing myself out, o-or whenever you annoy me, and even when we're just hanging out on our days off, you'll always tell me that you love me? Well, I know that I don't always say it back. But you do know that I love you too, right?"

Nick only laid there, his chest shuddering with each breath. She wanted so badly to move him into a more comfortable position, resenting herself that she couldn't have prevented this from happening in the first place. She could have paid closer attention to where he'd been, and she knew she couldn't have done anything to prevent it.

The flow of blood had slowed, but Nick had still lost an alarming amount. The fur on his head from behind his ear to his neck was soaked in crimson, coating her own hands and slowly collecting in a puddle on the floor.

"I love you," she repeated with a loud sniffle. Nick wheezed with each breath he took, yet at the mention of the word 'love' he jerked, exhaled a harsh shuddering breath, and then inhaled sharply. Judy gasped as Nick's eyes dragged themselves open, and he gave a feeble little whimper.

"Nick, can you look at me?" Judy strained to keep her voice in check, and could hardly hold her relief when Nick squirmed just enough so that he could roll his heavy head towards the sound of her voice. Judy's eyes watered.

Nick shifted, trying to move his heavy limbs and Judy jumped forwards as he appeared to become agitated, struggling weakly as Judy attempted to calm him with soft tones explaining what was happening and what they were doing. Having none of it, Nick mumbled a word only Judy was able to hear, the four letters thick on his tongue. "J'dy"

"Yes! Yes, Nick, I'm here. You're not alone. An ambulance is coming and the paramedics are going to take good care of you. Don't be scared..."

Nick clenched his eyes shut, his muzzle crinkling as he growled weakly. "T'rd... J'dy." He mumbled again and Judy fought to keep her emotions in check.

"I know, I know. But I want you to try and stay awake now. Can you try for me?" She pressed down on his head wound again and Nick gasped, clenching his fists weakly as a particularly painful spike of pain travelled from his skull and throughout his limbs. He jerked, and then went very still as the very little reserve of strength he had gave out.

"NICK!" Judy shouted sharply before whistling between her teeth in a vain hope that may rouse him. Nick remained unresponsive. Judy choked, terror rising from the pit of her stomach. Forethought left her capabilities and she went as far as slapping him sharply across the cheek.

Nick lurched beneath her, inhaling a sharp breath and squeezing his eyes shut tightly. He coughed, dry and weak for a moment, and Judy only stared with her jaw slack while the tears rolled freely down her face.

"Hopps, step aside." Bogo had returned, his heavy hoof steps reverberating off of the concrete. Passing him were two large cats, a gurney in between them both.

Judy got to her feet once the paramedics were at her side, stumbling back a couple of steps before Bogo stopped her with a strong hand against her shoulder. It did not escape her attention that the Chief had turned her in such a way that she was facing him rather than the urgent activity behind her.

All business and authority, Chief Bogo commanded that she brief him on what happened. Judy could hear the words spilling from her mouth before she realized what she was saying, knowing full well that none of it would have possibly made clear sense - "Goats and sheep... Doug... suspected copycat crime... gaseous spray... confined...not sure how long... so sorry."

Chief Bogo exhaled a heavy breath before making any attempt to interrupt. He explained to her that she was right, it had been in fact a copycat crime. Their goat suspect had indeed been using the money she was taking and using it to help subsidize an operation she and Doug the ram had been organizing for a couple of months. When back-up had arrived and neither she nor Nick had been anywhere in sight, he'd sent one group to check the area and another to search for them. Group one had only just been lucky enough to come across a makeshift greenhouse where they were growing midnicampum holicithias sproutling's after being jumped by a couple of rams and pigs.

Judy's ears twitched as she struggled to keep her focus on the Chief, her attention diverting to tidbits of conversation between the paramedics, who spoke in short, clipped sentences while they made a hasty assessment of what they were currently dealing with; words such as pale gums, and staunch wound. Eyes responding to penlight but no verbal responses.

Judy didn't even get a chance to steal another look at Nick before the paramedics rushed by them. "Hopps," Judy stared up at her Chief. "Well done," he told her, though there was no true integrity in his tone. "Go home - that's an order - and get some sleep."

Chief Bogo turned to walk away, but paused and glanced back. "Come along," he waited as Judy wiped a couple of tears on her sleeve, inhaling a shuddering breath as she attempted to keep her head high. Then the two walked away together.

The thirteen hours since Nick had been admitted to Zootopia's District Hospital were the longest Judy Hopps had ever experienced in her short lifetime. Officer Bogo had driven her back to her apartment complex, and when she had finally got home to her tiny apartment with its greasy walls and rickety furniture, Judy made a beeline for her bathroom.

She barely closed the bathroom door before she was already removing her uniform, some of it trailing behind her while the rest of it was tossed into the sink. She turned the shower on, scrubbing herself raw with a wash cloth and did her best to ignore the blood - Nick's blood - swirling into the drain. Raking her fingers through her fur, she turned the water off when there was no more suds and let a couple of sobs slip out as she stepped out of the shower and dried herself off.

Once she was dry she changed into a pair of blue sweats and one of Nick's ugly green dress shirts adorned with fern print design. Judy had overlooked the fact that it had somehow been left behind at her apartment recently when Nick had needed to do laundry with her when he'd heard that the Laundromat down the street from him was closing for a few days due to some family emergency.

Completely drained of any energy, Judy jumped into her bed and buried her face into her favorite pillow, soaking it with her tears.

There was nothing much more depressing than rain, in Judy's opinion. The clouds lingered like static, wholly monotone and endless. It made everything look grey and colorless; empty. All colors dulled in the rain, diffused by the grey, and it never mattered how bright they were when everything around them was a blur of ineffable grey, even the most vibrant of blues, red, and greens seemed to go quiet in reflection. Judy had never really enjoyed the rain. It didn't make her feel any less, really, it just made her feel tired.

Despite of the dreary weather outside, Judy woke at her usual 5:30am regardless of having not set her alarm. Her body clock had grown accustomed to it by now. Her phone's LED light was flashing blue, and upon checking the message she'd received she had sighed heavily in relief when she read the text from Chief Bogo: 'Take a day off. Be in tomorrow.'

Judy got up out of bed about a minute later, dragging herself to the shower and letting the warm water clear her head as she planned her day. She dressed in a pair of casual denim jeans and a light gray long sleeve top, and although she had no appetite, she forced down some oatmeal.

A bunny on a mission, Judy charged into the Hospital reception and demanded to know which room her partner was in, could she see him, insisting that they let her see him. The staff however were quite circumspect in the information they were willing to give her, despite the fact that Judy was Nick's emergency contact. In the end, it had taken a quick flash of her police badge to persuade them to give her some answers.

Nick's head had been grazed by a bullet behind his ear. Whatever angle he'd been standing in, it was lucky he had been. A few inches more and they would have had an entirely different outcome. The fact that he had fallen and landed on said wound hadn't made matters any easier. He'd received a concussion, blood loss, and numerous bruising. That being said, he was making a good recovery. Judy could have wept in relief.

Despite the fact that visiting hours did not start for another hour, Judy was buzzed into the ward she was assured Nick was being cared for. As it turned out that one of the doctors there was a friend of Yax, the blithe yack who worked behind the reception desk at the Zootopia Naturalist Club, and who had - surprisingly - been one of the biggest assets in solving the Otterton case. The two of them frequently played water-polo together, he had explained, and Judy had done her best to cover up a shudder at the mental image.

"Here you are," the doctor motioned with his clipboard at an open door, 43-D. "He's in the bed at the far end near the window. But I should let you know that he may be sleeping. We have him on painkillers at the moment."

Judy gave the doctor an appreciative smile. "Thank-you, doctor."

"If you need anything, just give the nurses a buzz." He said kindly, leaving her to stand at the door for a heavy pause before she was able to convince her legs - which had suddenly become very heavy - to move forwards.

There were three beds, each divided with a curtain to give the guise of privacy. In the first bed was a sloth with a large cast covering one of his arms from elbow to wrist. How on Earth a sloth of all mammals could manage to break an arm was beyond her. Pulling a face, Judy glanced into the next bed. The bed covers were ruffled, but there was no occupant in sight.

Finally, she reached the end of the room and while wringing her hands together, she stepped past the curtain and made her way over to the bed. Nick lay very still amongst the crisp white sheets with an oxygen mask over his snout, and Judy watched, and was comforted as the mask fogged and cleared with each breath her friend inhaled and exhaled. He wore a green hospital gown, and a bandage had been wrapped firmly around his head, his fur sticking out of place. She would have chuckled at the state of his fur if it weren't for the fact she still couldn't erase the sight of what was underneath from her mind. His right eye was bruised and swollen shut. But he looked peaceful now, so that was some respite.

Scrambling onto a chair at the bedside, Judy climbed the rest of the way onto the bed, shuffling over so that she sat beside one of Nick's hands. His other hand rest against his stomach, and it was with a twinge of sympathy that she noticed that some of the fur from his wrist up his forearm had been shaved and an intravenous needle had been inserted under the skin within a vein. A little IV tube ran from the needle and winded its way up to a saline bag that hung from a tall pole. But apart from the IV and the oxygen mask, she could see no other equipment was in use. It was a good sign, wasn't it?

Dragging her eyes towards her friend, Judy awkwardly reached down to pick up Nick's spare hand in her own, and watched his face as he slept. He didn't look like himself. Judy had seen him sleep before. She'd seen him fall asleep on an old couch in the lunch room at the police station, and in the car during stakeouts. There had been a couple of times where she'd left him to sleep on her couch on their nights off when all they had wanted to do was watch movies together.

Just as he was restless during the day, Nick rarely spent more than a couple of hours sleeping in one position before he shifted, or kicked off his blankets. He'd have one arm flung across his face and the other hanging over the side of whatever it was he had fallen asleep on, looking as undignified as possible. He never slept as still as the way he was sleeping now; apart from the head tilted, slack jaw and a thin trail of saliva trailed from one corner of his mouth to his cheek. His brow twitched a couple of times, and Judy felt comforted by the sound of his soft snores.

Judy could have sat there for a minute, or it could have been an hour for all she cared. It didn't matter. All she knew that her friend - her best friend - had been hurt last night, and she was partially responsible for it. "Nick..." She sniffled, smiling fondly as she reached over and gently pressed her spare thumb to the side of his mouth, swiping at the dribble that had begun trailing down the side of his face. What she hadn't counted on while she had done so, was that Nick's brow would furrow and his eyes would blink open. Judy froze, her hand hovering in the air as he blinked his one good eye and slowly looked her way. There was a moment - well, a little longer than a moment - where the two simply stared at each-other until recognition finally flickered in the familiar green eye, and he smiled.

"Hi," Nick's voice croaked in his throat, and Judy fought to keep her emotions in check as she gave him a watery smile.

"How are you feeling?" She ventured with a soft voice.

"Like... my brain was sandblasted," was Nick's drawled reply, and Judy chuckled weakly, ducking her head when she realized she was unable to stop two large tears streak down her cheeks.

"Hey," Nick reached for her chin, tilting her head up so that they were face-to-face again. "What's this?" He asked after another breath, his good eye full of concern. "What's with... the tears, Carrots?"

"N-nothing. I'm just so glad you're alright!" Judy was trying to smile as another set of tears rolled down her face.

He peered at Judy with a dozy interest half-lidded gaze while she rubbed at her eyes with the palm of one hand, laughing a little more genuinely when Nick gave her a lop-sided smile, opening one arm as invitation for her to lay beside him. Crawling over, Judy curled into his side, wrapping one arm around his chest, her head resting against the crook of his neck. "Silly bunny," Nick croaked sleepily. "By the way... I still wouldn't mind that dinner."

Judy smiled into his fur. "Why not. We'll call it a date."


	2. Day Off - Chapter Two

**Wow! I am just overwhelmingly grateful to those of you who have reviewed, following and decided to favourite this fiction already. I cannot thank you guy's enough! It's great to see the Zootopia fandom is growing so quickly.**

 **It's praise like which I've received already that fuels my muse-fire and keeps the ball rolling. So again, thank you!**

 **My next chapter will definitely be a lot lighter than the one you read before. I've been squinting at this one, one hand hovering over the 'save' button as I scrutinize everything I've got here. That creepy little monster of an inner voice I have whispering "It's not good enough, y'know. Where is the detail? The development?"** **It's just me - I'm a perfectionist. So** **I'm MORE than happy enough to read some of your suggestions for later chapters so please please please feel free to drop me a line. I'd love to explore the progression of each character and put my own spin on it in the process.**

 **I've read the Zootopia Junior Novelisation and the Handbook so I've been pulling out my hair trying to stop myself from giving away any major spoilers. With any luck I've given just enough and not nearly enough away to tease you. Why? Because I like to rib the people I appreciate just a teensy bit. You've been a delight.**

 **Without any further ado...**

Hey, Judes. Can I please set the scene for this one? You got to do it last time.

Do you have to?

I'm going to say yes.

Fine.

Yay!

Downtown Zootopia, built in the heart of Savanah Central was as beautiful as it was perilous. Every breed and creed of mammal could roam about the streets and walkways as unsystematically as they wished with the proviso they abide by the laws of Zootopia.

Considering the whole of Zootopia had once, very very long ago been no more than a watering hole, it had transformed into one of the most thriving cities you'll ever find. Each district was climatized to the environmental requirements of every breed of mammal living therein, with vast walls designed to separate and ventilate the air temperatures.

One of the mammals who first worked on the cities designs was a lion by the name Cave Simmons, an eccentric dead billionaire who incidentally was related to the dear Mayor Leodore Lionheart. It was part of Cave's vision that helped sculpt Zootopia into the gleaming city it is today.

Downtown Zootopia was where you could find most anything you required; the Zootopia Central Station was the gateway to the city, offering a variety of cafes, emporiums, boutiques, and fast food outlets and restaurants. Everywhere you looked there were platforms and billboards, countless walkways absolutely jam packed with animals coming and going nonstop day in and day out.

The downtown district was also where an adorable little bunny and a loveable scamp of a fox called home. Judy's small ramshackle apartment wasn't much different to Nick's; neither of them got any repose from the non-stop city soundscape; air conditioners were one of the biggest parts of all the ambient noise in the city. Then there was traffic roaring, the horns and bass in their cars so loud it shook your chest. Taxi cabs all surging by like spawning salmon. There was construction, and mammals yelling at each other, children throwing tantrums, all the while music played around the clock.

But despite all of it, both Nick and Judy knew that neither of them would ever get a wink of sleep without it. When you lived in Zootopia long enough, the noise became ambient as it was constant and sustained. In a sense, wasn't that why mammals lived in Zootopia - for the companionship, for the hubbub. It was a sign of urban health, and that the city and its economy was humming and thriving.

So while the city thrived around them, both Nick and Judy had taken an opportunity on one of their few nights off to enjoy Zootopia's idiosyncrasies. It had begun with treating themselves to an early dinner at a nice restaurant called Bone Appetite that cooked a wide range of cuisines which catered for mammals of most sizes and diet requirements.

Judy had promised Nick almost a month ago that the two of them would dine there sometime, but it had been a matter of just that - trying to find the time to actually follow through with that promise. Working as partners at the ZPD, Nick and Judy were on the same shifts about 90 % of the time. After hours, there were obligations to family such as keeping in touch, and organizing visits.

Then there were their separate social circles. Judy had become quite amicable with Nick's fox friend Finnick, and vice versa. But Nick also kept in touch with a few old acquaintances at the Zootopia Naturalist Club, and that was an establishment in which Judy was in no hurry to return to. So when it was just Nick and Judy on their own they usually took the time to do things they would both enjoy.

"So, since I decided on dinner, it's only fair that it be your turn to choose what we're going to do afterwards." Nick wore one of his trademark smirks, peering down at Judy with a half-lidded gaze as they walked together down a sidewalk at a leisurely rate.

"My turn, huh?" Judy grinned, giving a little hop in delight. "What haven't we done for a while?" She thought out loud.

"We could try that new trampoline place?" Nick suggested. "I think it's called Bounce. The floor is covered in 'em, and they're propped against the walls so you can launch yourself off and do karate kicks in the air." He made a few karate chops hand motions and Judy's stomach churned at the thought of so much activity after they'd just finished dinner.

"Is that what you want to do, or is it an actual suggestion?" She smirked, a brow arching in skepticism as Nick placed a hand over his chest, pretending as though she'd hurt his feelings.

"Judy, I'd never try and manipulate you like that - anymore. If I wanted us to go I'd just say so." He shrugged, smirk still in place.

"Nick, do you want to go to Bounce?"

"Nah, we just ate. Let's try something different."

Judy uttered a quiet sigh, but smiled fondly as she gave him light shove. "Hey!" Nick snickered while re-adjusting his tie.

"We could take a walk in the Zooherbaria botanical gardens?" Judy suggested, making a poor attempt in hiding the hope that laced the tone of her voice. The Zooherbia gardens were another one of Cave Simmons "visions", and it really was a beauty to behold. A nature-based garden located on the southwest side of Downtown Zootopia, it was abundant in an extensive variety of flora and fauna; including succulent plants, tropical, alpine as well as exotic.

There were mammal-build ponds covered in lily pads with stone bridges that arced over, fairy lights were entwined around tree trunks and strung from lamp post to lamp post. There were countless breeds of flowers in every color you could imagine, and the manicured lawns made it a popular destination for wedding parties to take photographs.

The trails and earth paths were mammal-made, as it was enforced that every mammal refrain from walking on the grass and interfere with the flora and fauna that thrived there. There were enough trails to compensate each species, and a "treetop walk" for the smaller of creatures. The treetop walk trail was built on a boardwalk designed as an interpretive experience for animals as tall as a rabbit and as small as a mouse to explore the fantasy, intrigue and grandeur from an elevated setting.

"Sure," Nick shrugged, smiling easily. The southwest side of Downtown Zootopia was simple enough to navigate yourself to if you could be bothered walking. It was one of the few things you could enjoy in the city that was completely free, which pleased Nick. As well as the added bonus that it was something they could each enjoy without putting in too much effort of actually doing much at all.

Nick offered to shout a taxi fare, so within a few minutes they were strolling through the gates of the botanical gardens. Judy's face lit up at the sight, trying to take in as much as she could all at once. The fairy lights reflected a variety of reds, blues, pinks and yellows within her violet tinted eyes. She inhaled the sweet aroma of the wide variety of flowers, and found herself mesmerized with the way all of the light from each building, billboard, fairy light and lantern reflected like crystals upon the surface of every pond they walked by.

While strolled over the stone bridges together, Judy hooking her arm with Nick as she gasped in delight and pointed at almost every tree, fern, bush and flower that caught her eye. "You have been here before, haven't you?" Nick asked at some point, having been more than patient with being dragged along in all different directions.

"Sure I have," Judy nodded, enchanted by a large weeping willow that drooped towards a nearby pond. "But never at night! It looks so different. So... I don't know how to describe it. Beautiful."

Stopping on one of the stone bridges, both Nick and Judy leaned over to rest their arms against the railing, both silent for about a minute as they watched the fairy light reflections twinkling upon the surface. A grasshopper was jumping from lily pad to lily pad, and the chirping of crickets joined the ambiance of the thriving city around them.

Feeling quite content, Judy glanced across at Nick. He was leaning a little further over the side than she on account of being taller, his shoulders were relaxed as he looked around at the trees and little boardwalks with those droopy eyes and a lazy smile upon his face. Every so often she would glimpse at his eyes and find them glowing eerily like a pair of green pearls in the moonlight. She never did think she'd get used to the fact that they glowed in the dark.

Judy's smile faltered when she felt a sudden pang of guilt that she had grown used to feeling in the pit of her stomach lately whenever she had a chance to remind herself of what happened to the two of them a month earlier. She and Nick had followed a vague lead to a warehouse at the marina past Wild Times, where the two of them were trounced by a couple of thugs led by a madwoman goat intent on emulating the Savage case. Back-up had arrived, and the copycat operation was put to a jarring stop.

Nick had been injured and hospitalized. He then spent the rest of the week housebound and irritable. So the fact that they were still able to go on these friend-dates at all was an enormous blessing. Nevertheless, whenever Judy looked at the side of Nick's head, at a spot behind his left ear where new fur had begun to grow over freshly knitted skin, her stomach dropped and she had to remind herself over and over that she wasn't to blame.

It was part of the job description. It didn't matter what duty they were assigned to, there was always the possibility that one or both of them might not be going home in the evening, and Judy knew this. It was a fact of life that had been drilled into her during her training. But it didn't make it any easier to think about.

Looking at him now, at how content he appeared, how could Judy not enjoy the moment? It was unfair not to. Especially since it had been such a nice evening.

"Do I have something on my face, Carrots?"

Judy blinked. Oh, crackers. Had she been staring at Nick that whole time?

"I was just thinking." She mumbled dumbly. Nick peered at her from under his eyelashes with an arrogant smirk plastered on his face.

"A penny for your thoughts?" He offered.

"About how lucky I - we - are to be partners." Judy explained in earnest.

"Oh, well I suppose you're not that bad to work with. I've teamed up with worse." Nick grinned as he caught the burning look Judy shot him. A light dusting of rain began to sprinkle down from the overcast sky.

"I'm sure you have," Judy said dryly, though there was no real bite to her tone.

"What's with the sentimentality, Carrots?" Nick was now facing her, leaning on the bridge railing with one arm and the opposite hand resting on his hip. She arched a brow, looking at him with suspicion for a moment while she searched for any hint that he was trying to tease her.

"I really enjoy our days off together." Judy said a little sheepishly, and then chuckled. "You've helped me a lot since we first met; even though I'd hustled you into it."

"Ahh yes, dear Officer Toot-Toot." Nick laughed fondly. "It goes both ways though. No one had ever really believed in me before you. 'Cept my mother of course. Funny, neither of us would be where we are right now if it weren't for each other. I mean, I was doing fine with my hussles, but I do admit being a cop has it's perks."

"Such as working with me." Judy grinned, looking pleased.

"Such as working with you." Nick agreed, wrapping one arm around her midsection and pulling her in close. With the other hand he began ruffling the fur on top of her head.

"Nick!" Judy struggled in his grip, using both palms to push against his chest as she tried to escape, all the while he snickered. "St-ow! Stop it!"

In desperate measures, Judy grabbed Nick's forearm and gave it a firm pinch with her small claws. Electing a satisfying yelp from her irritating friend, she pulled herself free and glared up at him while she attempted to smooth down the fur between her ears. Nick simpered, looking pleased with himself.

"Aww, gwumpy bunny face." Nick pouted as he reached out to pinch one of her cheeks, which she dodged by ducking out of his reach.

It was at that moment that the rain, which had been falling like mist with its soft crystal sprinkles so light against their fur, began to come down just a little harder until the clouds broke and then proceeded to come down in a torrent.

"Oh! Oh, Really?" Judy gasped, making a vain attempt to shield herself as well as she could with both her ears and arms held over her head. Nick only laughed at the pitiful attempt, with little care at all that his fur and clothing were now beginning to get soaked through with the rain.

"Come on!" Nick grabbed Judy by the hand and the two of them sprinted over the bridge and followed the path closest to the other side of the gardens.

They sped up their pace, at Judy's insistence, mud splashing up their legs and leaves falling from above and catching in their fur. Nick was still laughing as they ran towards the streets, Judy hailing a taxi as soon as they came into view of the roads. As the taxi pulled to a stop, the two friends slipped into the back, both laughing breathlessly. "Two stops, please -" Judy told the alpaca driver, picking off a couple of leaves that had stuck themselves to one of her ears.

"One," Nick interrupted, and Judy spared him an incredulous look. He only smirked. "1955 Cypress Grove Lane. What?" He asked, catching her expression. "My apartment's closer."

"But I don't have any spare clothes or toiletries. We have work in the morning." She began to protest but was silenced when Nick gave her a sly smile. She shot him a sour look in return.

"Not till eleven. You can use my toothbrush." He offered, the tips of his ears and nose dripping water.

"Gross!" Judy pulled a face, but it melted away as he snickered quietly. She nibbled at her lip, quietly grateful. There he was, cocky and arrogant, but with that heart of gold shining underneath that slick, cunning persona.

"Fine then, go without. You can put up with furry teeth all day tomorrow." Nick shrugged, and chuckled quietly as he caught a glimpse of Judy running her tongue over her top row of buck teeth.

Nick's apartment was in a neighborhood with a fairly even predator and prey ratio. It wasn't the nicest neighborhood in the city but Judy had seen worse. Actually, she'd lived in worse. After splitting the taxi fare, Judy followed Nick up the stairs of the ramshackle building while he rooted through one pocket for his keys as he leaned against the door jam. The rest of the buildings around them were no better shape, and instinctively, Judy pressed herself a little closer to Nick's side as he finally got the key into the door and got it unlocked.

Despite the shabby exterior of the building, the foyer was at least in a decent condition. The rent here was reasonably priced, and the landlady generally didn't care what type of mammal you were as long as your rent was on time and you kept your apartment decent.

This is what Nick had told her once. However Judy wondered on the contrary when just as they started up the stairs, the only door that lead onto the foyer opened up with a bit more force than necessary.

"WILDE!" An armadillo, who was probably in her mid-fifties but looked to be in her late seventies in a ratty pink bathrobe with slippers to match and a cigarette dangling out of her mouth yelled from her doorway. She had a voice that sounded like she probably had a ritual pf getting up of a morning, drinking a bottle of whiskey, gargling a mouthful of gravel and then smoking a packet of cigarettes all before 9am. "I should have known it was you. Coming in at all hours, partying all night. I run a respectable building here, young man!"

"Hello, Mrs Arlow. Goodnight, Mrs Arlow." Nick placed a hand between Judy's shoulder blades as they continued to trek upstairs, not bothering to turn around. "If you ignore it, it'll go away." He muttered to Judy, who had made a half-turn to peer back down at the testy armadillo lady.

"YOUR RENT IS DUE!" She shrieked up the stairwell at Judy and Nick's retreating backs.

"Not for another three days!" Nick stated as they reached the landing. "Nighty night!"

"What a terrible woman," Judy gasped as they continued down a hall headed for the next set of stairs.

"Nah," Nick shrugged. "She's a hoot. Like her voice, she's all bark but no real bite." One more flight of stairs and about half way down the next hall, they were finally at his apartment. Once unlocked, they stepped inside, welcoming the wave of warm heat that welcomed them at the doorstep.

Judy had visited Nick's apartment a few times before and was already growing accustomed to feeling comfortable enough in making herself at home. There was a tiny kitchen right next to the living area, which was mostly bare except for an ugly but comfortable grey fold out couch with a small coffee table in front of it. A flat screen TV was perched upon a wooden cabinet against one wall. There was a short hallway with two doors leading off of it and despite it's Spartan decor, the apartment was neat and clean.

The wooden cabinet had always been one of Judy's favorite things; it was made of polished mahogany and built in such a way that the various nicks and natural wear and tear of the wood were still present. Out of all Nick's possessions - apart from the TV - it was probably the most expensive thing in the apartment.

"You can have first dib's on the shower," offered Nick as he locked the door with both chain and deadlock. Regardless of how well you thought you knew the neighborhood you lived in it was a smart idea to have a couple of extra locks installed as added precaution.

Stuffing the key back into his pocket, he flicked a few of the ceiling lights on at a switch at the closet wall. "You can borrow one of my shirts too. Me casa is su casa. Do whatever you want. But remember," Nick's ears fell back as he narrowed his eyes, his face void of it's usual smirk. "Never under any circumstances are you to venture into the west wing."

"How many times are you going to use that joke?" Judy asked dryly, rolling her eyes. "You don't even have a west wing."

"For as long as I find it funny." Nick's ear's perked as his expression lightened back into an easy grin.

"Right," Judy chuckled, watching as Nick disappeared into his bedroom before returning with a spare shirt. She caught it easily when he balled it up and threw it in her direction. "As long as you're amusing yourself." She added, whipping it at him as she walked by and headed to the bathroom.

The bathroom was probably the smallest room in the house with only a toilet, a sink, washing basket, and a shower with an old faded light blue curtain. Underneath the sink was where Nick kept his towels, and above the sink was a mirror cabinet with a spider web crack in the bottom right corner. The tiled floor had some mold growing on it in certain places and there was a little calcium build up in the showerhead, causing it to drip even while not in use.

Judy felt a little awkward about using another mammals shower. She had a particular ritual when washing, and knowing that she had none of her own toiletries with her left her feeling a little out of her comfort zone. However upon getting into the shower, she was pleased enough to see that Nick actually had a couple of shampoos to choose from, a fresh bar of soap and some body wash as well. It was blueberry scented, which amused her.

It took a whole ten minutes before Judy felt clean enough to step out of the shower and dress. With a small sigh, she felt resigned to towel dry rather than use the blow-dryer she was usually accustomed to using each day. She threw her damp clothing into his washing basket, and pulled the fresh shirt over her head before walking back out into the hallway.

"The shower is free," Judy called out, rolling up the long sleeves of the red shirt Nick was lending her as she strolled into the lounge area. She felt a little clumsy as she walked about seeing as the actual length of the shirt was just as oversized as the sleeves. It completely swamped her small frame.

She searched for Nick, nose twitching as she kept an ear out. She heard movement in the kitchen, and picking up the front of the shirt as though she were walking around in a ball gown, she ventured towards the sound of glass clinking together and the distinct smell of lime, barley, yeast and hops.

"Oh!" Nick uttered in surprise when the two almost collided. Shoulders tensing as he steadied a tea tray - Judy grinned, finding it amusing that Nick of all mammals would have a tea tray - between his hands. On it was two bottles of beer and a bowl of lime and black pepper crisps. "What?" he looked a little bemused by her amusement before he realized what she was looking at. "Oh har-har," he rolled his eyes. "I have a little class, you know. Thank you very muchly."

"You have two beer bottles on a tea tray, Nick. I'd hardly call that class. I was just going to tell you that the shower is free," Judy followed after him as he settled the tray onto a small table in front of his couch. His clothes were still damp, and his fur was sticking up and disheveled.

"Cool," he took a quick swig of his beer, tensing slightly while he made a poor attempt to conceal a cold tremor.

"Go on, before you get sick." Judy shooed him away, so with that, he disappeared down the small hallway.

Judy peered down at the couch, pleased to see that Nick had thrown a clean pillow on one side. She settled down on it, pulling her knees closer to her chest as she helped herself to a couple of crisps, and the TV remote.

She was still flicking through the TV channels when a freshly showered Nick returned with his arms loaded with a quilt. "What are you doing?" He asked, looking perplexed to see Judy had settled herself down on the spare pillow he'd thrown onto the couch.

"Um... getting comfortable?" She ventured, frowning in uncertainty.

"Not there. You're having my bed."

"Nick! No. The couch is fine."

"Nope." He tossed the quilt at her and snickered while he watched her attempt to detangle herself from the layered fabric.

Judy's protests were muffled as Nick plopped down beside her, reaching over to take another sip from his beer.

"Nick!" Judy scolded once she had successfully resurfaced. "You can't just give up your bed."

"My house, my rules, Judes." He answered breezily.

"What happened to me casa is su casa? I'm fine with the couch." She frowned.

"Me casa is su casa, exactly! Which means you can have the bed." He informed her matter-of-factly.

Judy gaped at him with her mouth open for a moment, then closed it tight as she gave a frustrated growl, her ears laid flat against the back of her head. "Thank you." She said begrudgingly.

"Not a problem." Nick grinned while leaning across to grab a handful of crisps. In front of them. "So, anything cool on?"

Over the next couple of hours the faint glow emanating from the TV was the only source of steady light within the lounge room. Judy and Nick sipped at their beers in the meantime, helping themselves to the crisps. It was somewhere in the middle of some crime drama that Judy felt her eyelids begin to droop heavily, her ears lolling limp around her shoulders. She and Nick had both crawled underneath the quilt, and at some point Judy had tucked herself cozily against one of Nick's arms, allowing the steady light and quiet volume of the TV lull her into a comfortable stupor. Her breathing deepened, and the scent of blueberry body wash filled her nose. A smile crept upon her face as her thoughts began to drift back to her parents' farm... blueberry pies...

"Hey, psst! Judes." Judy made a half-formed noise of complaint as she felt herself being shaken gently. "You fell asleep."

"Mm'did not." She slurred, attempting to snuggle in closer to the source of warmth beside her. However, she hadn't counted on the fact that it might shift away. She caught herself with a spare arm before she could face-plant completely into the couch cushions.

"Come on. Bedtime." Nick sniggered, and Judy grumbled a short slur of protests as she huffed, and got to her feet.

"D'aww," Nick gushed in a teasing tone of voice, tilting his head very slightly. "You're sho adowable when you're shweepy."

"M'not adorable," she grumbled, shuffling her feet and she rubbing at her eyes with one palm while she allowed Nick to lead her down the hallway and into his room. "Stubborn... pushy, fox."

She was already climbing onto Nick's mattress, unable to form any real conscious thought as she flopped over sideways, the side of her face swallowed by the pillow that rest there. Her ears splayed out behind her, knees pulled up, and feet crossed over one another. Deftly, she felt around for a padded blanket which was already being pulled up over her and hummed within her throat as warmth began to seep back into her skin. Grabbing one corner of the blanket, she pulled it up closer towards her chin and sighed contentedly.

"Nick?" Judy mumbled, teetering somewhere in between consciousness and sleep. She heard Nick utter a soft 'hm?' further away from her. "Thanks lots."

"No problem, Judes." She heard him snort in amusement.

"You're a... great friend." Her voice began to trail off, and shortly then her breathing evened out. She was snoring lightly within seconds.

"Right back at you," She was deaf to hear Nick's reply while he lingered at the door for a fraction of a second longer before making his own sleepy way back to the couch.


End file.
